Flue-cleaner.



No 705,753. Patented my 29, 1902.

T. J. HART.

FLUE CLEANER.

A licacin filed Oct. 26, .1990.) (No Model.)

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, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. HART, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SHERW'OO'I) MANUFACTURING CQMPANY,OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 705,753, dated July 29, 1902. Application filed October 26, 1900. Serial No. 34,428. :(No model.)

To ctZZwhom may concern;

Be it known that I, THoMAsJ. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bufialo,

in the county of Erie and State of New York,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Tube-0leaners,'of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of boilertube cleaners which are provided withrotary cutters for removing the scale from the inner side of the water-tubes of boilers, said outters being rotated by a turbine which is operated by steam or some other actuating fluid.

The object of my invention is to provide the cleaner with an improved centering device which is thrown out against the tube by the pressure of the actuating fluid which operates the cutter and which centering device is simple in construction and reliable and effective in operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved tube-cleaner, showing the same arranged in a curved boiler-tube. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are transverse sections in line 2 2, 3 3, and 4 4, Fig. 1, respectively. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the spherical knuckle of the universal joint which connects the pressuretube with the case of the cleaner. A

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the portion of a boiler-tube in which the cleaner is arranged and which is shown partly straight and partly curved.

B represents the hollow shell, body, or casing of the cleaner, which is preferably onlarged at its front and rear ends and contracted at its middle.

0 represents the rotary head, which is journaled at its rear end on a diaphragm Din the front end of the casing.

E represents the cutter-arms, which are pivoted on the head and which are provided with the usual serrated cutter-disks 6. Upon rotating the head when the cleaner is in a tube the cutter-arms are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force and the cutter-disks engage with the inner side of the boiler-tube and remove the scale therefrom. The cutterpressure, which is supplied to the casing and issues through openings d in the diaphragm 1) thereof against a turbine F on the rear part of the rotary head. All of these parts may be of any suitable or well-known construction.

G represents a number of centeriug-arms, which are arranged lengthwise on the outer side of the contracted middlepart of the case. Three of these centering-arms are arranged equidistant circumferentially around the case, so as to produce a three-point support of the cleaner in the tube when the cleaner is in operation. Each of these arms is pivoted at its rear end by a transverse pin g to lugs g on the case and provided at its front end with a roller g by which it bears against the inner side of the boiler-tube.

H represents a number of radially-movable plungers or pistons whereby the centeringarms are moved outwardly and which are actuated by the pressure of the steam or other fluid in the case. These plungers' are arranged in circular openings or seats h in the case and engage at their outer ends with the inner side of the centering-arms, while theirinner ends are exposed to the pressure of the actuating fluid in the case. The arms carrying the cutters are capable of moving outwardly to such a position that their free ends project beyond'the largest part of the case. When the centering-arms engage with the inner side of a tube, the case of the cleaner is held out of contact with the tube, whereby the. frictionand wear are reduced. The outward movement .of the centering arms and theplungers is limited by stops 1;, formed on the'centering-arms in rear of the pivots thereof and adapted to engage with the adjacent part of the case. The inward movement of the centering arms and plungers is limited by heads or stops it, formed on the outer ends of the plungers and adapted to engage with the outer sideof the case.

Upon admitting steam to the casing of the cleaner after the latter has been introduced into a boiler-tube the pressure of the steam against the inner ends of the plungers forces the same outwardly, and the plungers in turn move the centering-arms outwardly until the same bear against the inner side of the boilertube. The pressure against the several cen- ICO tering-arms is uniform,which causes the arms to be moved outwardly simultaneously and to the same distance. The cleaner-case is held centrally in the tube by these devices, and the cutters are thereby caused to operate uniformly on the scale in the tube.

In inserting the cleaner into a tube and in withdrawing the cleaner after the tube has been cleaned the actuating fluid is shut ofi from the case and the-centering-arms are collapsed and free to move in and out. This allows the cleaner to be easily moved into and out of the tube.

When the cleaner is required to pass through tubes which have comparatively short bent or curved portions, the case is connected by a spherical joint with the pipe or hollow handle which supplies the pressuremedium to the cleaner. This permits the cleaner to arrange itself at a considerable angle to the pressure-tube and enables the cleaner to pass around short curves. This joint is constructed as follows:

K represents the flexible pressuretube or hollow handle, whereby the pressure medium- -such as steam, air, or water-is conducted into the hollow case of the cleaner.

L represents a hollow spherical knuckle which is open at its front and rear ends and provided on its rear side with a tubular nipple Z, which enters the front end of the pressure-pipe. This nipple is provided with an external flange or collar Z, which abuts with its rear side against the front end of the pressure-tube.

M represents clamping-bars whereby the pressure-pipe is coupled with the nipple Z. Two of these bars are preferably arranged lengthwise on opposite sides of the pressurepipe and the collar Z, and each bar is provided at its front end with an inwardly-projecting hook or lip an, which engages with the front side of the collar Z. The clampingbars are clamped against opposite sides of the pressure-pipe and the latter against opposite sides of the nipple by a split clamping-band N, which encircles the clamping-bars and the pressure-pipe. The ends of the clampingband are provided with perforated ears, which are connected by a clamping-bolt n. The clamping-band is preferably provided with seats 02, which receive the clamping-bars, and also with inwardly-projecting teats or projections 71 which engage with recesses or openings n in the clamping-bars, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, thereby preventing the band from slipping lengthwise from the clampingbars. In order to permit the pressure-tube to obtain a firm grip upon the nipple Z, the

outer side of the latter is corrugated, as shown at 0, Fig. 1. V

P 1? represent, respectively, the fixed and removable sections of a spherical socket, which is arranged at the rear end of the case of the cleaner and which receives the spherical knuckle of the pressure-pipe. The fixed section P of the socket is formed directly on the rear end of the hollow case of the cleaner, and the removable section P is secured by bolts 19 to the fixed section- This ball-andsocket joint between the pressure-pipe and the cleaner permits the latter considerable freedom of movement with reference to the pressure-pipe.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with the hollow case of a tube-cleaner adapted to receive a pressure fluid, and the cutter medium mounted on the case, of centering-arms arranged on the outer side of said case, and plungers which are guided in said case and engage with said arms and are pressed outwardly by the presure fluid, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the hollow case of a tube-cleaner adapted to receive a pressure fluid, and the cutter medium mounted on the case, of centering-arms pivoted on the outer side of the case, plungers which engage with said arms and are pressed outward by the pressure fluid, and stops whereby the inward and outward movement of the arms and plungers is limited, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the hollow case of a tube-cleaner adapted to receive a pressure medium, and a rotary cutter mounted on the case, of centering-arms arranged lengthwise on the outer side of the case and pivoted at one end to the same while the opposite end is provided with a roller which is adapted to bear against the inner side of the tube to be cleaned, centering-plungers guided in the hollow case and projecting with their inner ends into the interior of the case while their outer ends bear against the centering-arms, stops arranged on the centering-arms and adapted to engage the case for limiting the outward movement of the arms and plungers, and stops arranged on the plungers and adapted to engage the case for limiting the inward movement of the arms and plungers, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 24th day of October,

THOMAS J. HART.

Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, CLAUDIA M. BENTLEY. 

